The mother and brother of a 37-year-old woman accused of assaulting her have been served with an interim protection order and granted R500 bail.

The accused are charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and were released on bail by the Atteridgeville magistrate’s court yesterday.

They were arrested on Saturday at their residence at Mooiplaas informal settlement near Centurion, Tshwane, after the alleged attack on Friday.

The state alleges that the two suspects attacked the woman after she informed them about the outcome of the rape trial against her partner who raped their 11- month-old chid. 

According to the state, the two then started beating up the woman with a stick all over her body and called her stupid, heartless and selfish for not withdrawing the case against her partner.

State prosecutor Rhulani Maluleke yesterday said the state did not oppose bail but warned the accused to comply with the protection order.

“... The complainant herself indicated that she feels safe as she has moved out of the residence she was sharing with the accused persons.

Maluleke said the matter on the protection order would be heard on May 13.

Before reading out the conditions of the protection order, magistrate Annita Johnson highlighted and described the high number of domestic violence cases before her court as a pandemic.

“I have taken notice of the prevalence of this offence in this court’s jurisdiction area, which is reaching pandemic proposition. Not a day goes by that this court does not deal with matters of this nature, and about 70% of cases on the roll in this court is domestic violence.

“It is a serious offence, you will not be tried in this court,” she said, adding that the matter would be transferred to a regional court. – mbelet@sowetan.co.za